Advancing Health Equity

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Healthy People 2020 defines health equity as the “attainment of the highest level of health for all people. Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities, historical and contemporary injustices, and the elimination of health and health care disparities.” 1

Health equity differs from conventional notions of equality which means everyone gets the same benefits from the same supports. As you will see in this image from the Ingham County Health Department, equality and equal treatment result in unequal outcomes.2 With health equity though, we adjust to ensure everyone gets the support they need to attain their full health potential. We can also achieve greater health equity by removing the causes of inequity and addressing those barriers that keep everyone from being as healthy as they possibly can.

Infographic depicting kids who cannot see a game because of a high wall that shows the difference between equality where boxes are all the same height and young kids still cannot see the game. This is juxtaposed from equity where the boxes are sized for each child individually to be able to see.

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The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes the above pictured factors from education access and quality to economic stability as social determinants of health. The conditions of our built environment and communities affect a wide range of health and quality-of-life risks and outcomes.4

At home here in North Carolina, we can see in the 2018 NC Health Equity Report that African American and American Indian populations fare worse than the white reference population in key health metrics across age. Disparities are even apparent with severe illnesses like cancer and heart disease. As an example in the report, the prostate cancer death rate for African American men was 2.8 the rate for white men over this time period.5

Health inequities are unfair health differences closely linked to social, environmental, or economic disadvantages that adversely affect specific groups of people. Meanwhile disparities are the measurable differences in health status between different groups of people that can be related to social or demographic factors like race, gender, income, or geography.

Public health literature indicates that our health is greatly impacted by our everyday environment, including where we live, grow, and play. This is why Healthy People 2030 promoted by the US Department of Health and Human Services prioritizes not just health conditions or health behaviors but also the social determinants of health.3

NC Health Equity Report table showing racial and ethnic disparities with worse outcomes for people of color in many health metrics including child and maternal health, cancers, and cardiovascular disease.

Motivated to Advance Health Equity?

Here are ways you can take action.

Health Professionals

Healthcare providers who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color can register for this directory which is being compiled by the New Hanover County NAACP and Seeds of Healing.

Participate >

We are striving to promote greater equity in vaccine distribution and to reduce vaccine hesitancy. Join us at our events for more information and to help spread the word why getting the COVID vaccine is so important.

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Cape Fear

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We are working to get PPE or DIY medical substitute items where they are most needed in our communities. Join our efforts or request items at the site linked below. To date, we’ve provided over 41,000 items, and counting, to keep folks safe.

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I GOT My Fauci Ouchie

1. Disparities. Healthy People 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/Disparities

2. Health Equity and Social Justice. Ingham County Health Department. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from http://hd.ingham.org/DepartmentalDirectory/CommunityHealth,Planning,andPartnerships/HealthEquityandSocialJustice.aspx

3. Healthy People 2030, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved [date graphic was accessed], from https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health

4. Social Determinants of Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 15, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/index.htm

5. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in North Carolina—North Carolina Health Equity Report 2018. Retrieved February 24, 2021 from https://schs.dph.ncdhhs.gov/SCHS/pdf/MinorityHealthReport_Web_2018.pdf